Sugababes and other stars raise £300k for Have a Heart 0 Fundraising | Stefan Marseglia | 31 Mar 2010 Topics: Community fundraisingA national radio station has raised over £300,000 for a charity that aims to grant wishes to terminally ill children.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation received the money after Heart FM’s Have a Heart campaign saw presenters, listeners and celebrity supporters combine efforts to help raise funds.

The week-long event saw a host of stars including JLS, Alisha Keys and the Sugababes visit Heart radio station to co-present shows, donate auction lots, perform live sets and answer phone calls in the appeal’s call centre.

“I’ve experienced first hand being on a hospital ward with my younger brother who has cerebral palsy. Anything you can do to make that journey smoother and more entertaining for children is an amazing thing to do,” said singer Alesha Dixon.

Lots on offer included “meet-and-greets” with musicians such as Alicia Keys and Robbie Williams, which raised £15,000 each, as well as 5-star holidays.

All funds raised will help the foundation to provide year-round entertainment on hospital wards across the country using technology including High-Definition flat screen televisions and games consoles.

Abbie sets sights on stardom after recording with the Sugababes11:40am Wednesday 31st March 2010

By Andrea Glennon »

AFTER a recording session with pop group the Sugababes, a Stratton teenager has vowed the next time she returns to the world-famous Abbey Road Studios she will be the superstar.

Talented Abbie Lea Drew beat off competition from 4,000 other hopefuls from around the country to win the Heart FM ‘Live Like a Sugababe’ competition.

She filmed herself singing their hit About A Girl which was voted number one by radio listeners in an online competition. She sang the same song in the studio with the girl group.

The 15-year-old said she felt like a celebrity as she bumped into Amy Winehouse during a £500-shopping spree in Selfridges, stayed in a £1,000 a night suite at the Mayfair Hotel and was treated to champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

The Cirencester Deer Park student was also given tips from the Sugababes vocal coach, interviewed by celebrity magazine Closer and followed around by the Heart FM film crew.

Abbie said: "It was absolutely amazing – the Sugababes gave me such good advice. They told me if I get knocked down just to get back up again.

"Even though I only met Amelle and Heidi because Jade was ill I loved every minute of it. They were great and so down-to-earth.

"Heidi said when she was a teenager she wrote lots of letters to music companies and was eventually signed when she was just 18."

Abbie said she now plans to write letters herself and record demo CDs to send off to recording studios.

"Without a doubt this is definitely what I want to do," she added.

For more on the story and link to Abbie in action go to wiltsglosstandard.co.uk

June:Sun 20/06/2010 Heidi+Amelle 54mile Cycle ride from London To Brighton for Charity

July:Sat 03/07/2010 Sound music festival at Netherdale in Galashiels.

August:Sat 21/08/2010 V Festival orSun 22/08/2010 V Festival (This year's V Festival will take place at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire over the weekend of August 21 to August 22. Tickets are on sale from this Friday 5th March.)

British Eurovision fans will be happy to see that the BBC Eurovision Website was rebranded over the past weekend. The banner previously adorned with Jade Ewen (My Time, 2009) has now been replaced with a picture of the UK's 2010 entrant - 19 year-old Josh Dubovie.

The website also now hosts the preview vidoes for all participating countries, including the televised version of 'That Sounds Good To Me' performed in March on 'Eurovision : Your Country Needs You'.

The British people now await the expected video of the song, as well as the final version of the track, currently being worked upon by songwriters Pete Waterman and Mike Stock. This version Stock says will 'pleasantly surprise' everyone.

Friday 26 March 2010The Sugababes are undoubtedly one of Britain’s best-loved pop acts, and, despite numerous changes to the original line-up, have maintained an edge that kept them well and truly at the top of their game!

But, after a tumultuous 2009, the future of the band seemed to be somewhat in limbo –at least if tabloid headlines were to be believed.

So we were slightly apprehensive when we went to meet the girls themselves at the legendary Abbey Road Studios – would chatting to the girls be a bit like navigating a minefield of sore subjects? Would we get caught up in catfights or diva tantrums?

We needn’t have worried – as we walk into Studio 2, which has seen legends like The Beatles and Pink Floyd work their magic in its four walls, Amelle Berrabah and Heidi Range immediately jump up from the sofa to greet us! New member Jade Ewen isn’t feeling well and is off sick – what a shame!

The girls look fab in skinny jeans and heels, and while Heidi is working a casual-chic pale-pink blazer, Amelle has opted for a sportier look in an oversized grey sweater. Both look absolutely gorgeous – and we can’t help but notice the absolutely mahooossive diamond engagement ring on Heidi’s wedding finger!The ‘Babes just made a teenager’s dream come true by hanging out with 15-year-old Abbie and giving her tips for her own musical career.

Abbie, who won the Windows 7 Sing, Snap and Shake it singing competition to live a day like the Sugababes would – including a stay at the swanky Mayfair Hotel, a shopping trip to Selfridges and dinner at posh eaterie Nobu – is over the moon as she is having her picture taken between two of the coolest girl in Pop!

Seems that the ballsy Sugababes aren’t so scary after all… And so we sit down for a good chin-wag about cheating celebs, scary spinning classes and the girls’ fashion obsessions!

There have been an awful lot of cheating scandals recently… what would you do in such a situation?Amelle: Go. Without fail.

Were you surprised by any of them?Heidi: I think you can’t comment or say what’s right or wrong in other people’s relationships, but the one that got me was the John Terry one. His wife was all over him the week after, kissing him and cuddling him like nothing happened. That surprised me. I wouldn’t even be able to look at the person.

Amelle: It makes you feel uncomfortable even looking at it…

Heidi: Every couple works through whatever happens in their relationship, but I found that quite shocking.

So what do you think of Cheryl’s decision to leave Ashley?

Heidi: I think Cheryl deserves more respect than what she’s been given.

Amelle: For sure!

Heidi: She’s a beautiful girl. She’s talented. She doesn’t need to be treated like that. I think he’s silly for doing what he’s done.

Amelle: But she needs to work it out for herself, she has to do whatever makes her happy. But from an outsider’s point of view, I agree with Heidi, she definitely deserves a lot more respect.

What’s it like being at the famous Abbey Road studios, where legends like The Beatles and Pink Floyd have recorded?

Heidi: I’ve been here before to do live radio sessions – but we just realised that we were here the day me and Keisha met Amelle for the first time when she joined the band!

Amelle: When we got to the front door all the memories came flooding back.

Those must have been quite exciting memories for you, Amelle?

Amelle: Oh definitely! They’re all good memories for sure but I can’t believe it’s been nearly four and a half years now – oh my god!

Heidi: Unfortunately she’s not well today, but usually we’re having a lot of fun together and enjoy what we’re doing. It’s all good.

That’s great to hear. Considering the history of the studio, who out of all the legends who have recorded here would you have liked to collaborate with?

Heidi: The Beatles, obviously! (laughs)

Amelle: That would have been amazing! Definitely Jimi Hendrix. Even Mary J Blige, I saw a picture of her on the wall, that would have been amazing as well. We could do a soulful track.

What about any current artists – who would you like to team up with?

Amelle: We’ve just been signed to Roc Nation in America, Jay-Z’s label. Recording with the big boss would be amazing.

Heidi: Or Beyonce!

Amelle: Or both of them. There you go.

Heidi: We’ve got a collaboration on the album with Sean Kingston, which was good fun to do, but I’d really like us to do one with a band.

Amelle: A proper rocky number, Kings of Leon stylee?

Heidi: I’d love to do something like that, something a bit different.

Your latest album sounds quite different from the original Sugababes sound…

Heidi: We’ve changed with every album, because obviously music does move on and we want to keep it fresh for the fans - and ourselves. This album is more of a party album I suppose… we went over to America and had a ball when we were doing it!

Amelle: The previous album, Catfights and Spotlights, is a lot more chilled. But like Heidi said, music is always changing and have to keep pushing yourself that little bit more with brilliant new artists on the scene, like Lady GaGa. But we had a lot of fun and we really love it. It’s a nice, feel good album.

Heidi: God knows where we’ll take the next one!

Amelle: Imagine if we did hard metal!

You often have to wear rather skimpy costumes – do you get nervous about baring it all?

Amelle: Yes! On video shoots you are surrounded by loads of blokes, so you do get embarrassed sometimes! In certain tops you can’t move your arm because it’ll pop open. The leotard in About A Girl was a nightmare – I had to hold myself in every two seconds!

Heidi: But we’re never forced to wear something - we choose what we want to wear. Obviously our stylist tries to push us a bit more to more extreme outfits than what we wear walking down the road.

Is your personal style quite different to the kind of outfits you wear on the stage?Heidi: I would say it’s a bit more toned down.

Amelle: It’s like a tamer version. We wouldn’t be walking around in a leotard in everyday life!

What fashion trends do you like?

Heidi: I’m all for the shoulder pads!Amelle: I love leather jackets.Heidi: You’ve got about twenty!Amelle: I love them!Heidi: My fashion obsession are heels and handbags!

What’s your favourite pair of heels or handbags you own?Heidi: My Chanel handbags… I have to convince myself that it’s ok to spend that much money because I can hand them down through the family - they’re classics!

What have you bought recently that you absolutely love?

Amelle: I’ve bought two pairs of Louboutin boots that I absolutely love – they come up to the knee and I got two because I like both colours. But they’re a good buy because they suit a lot of things and won’t go out of fashion.

How do you stay in shape? Do you work out a lot?Heidi: I have to! I do spinning classes - they’re scary at first but once you get into them you get a little bit addicted. I love them now. I haven’t been as strict lately though as I usually am. But Amelle and I are preparing to do a big cycle.

Amelle: A 54 MILE cycle for charity!

Heidi: It’s in June and we’re both kind of nervous about it! We’ve got to work ourselves up to 30 miles before the race, so we best get on the bikes next week!

Amelle: We’re cycling from London to Brighton – and then we’re going to stay in a hotel and chill the hell out!

Could see yourself doing a Girls Aloud style Gap year to pursue solo projects?

Amelle: At the moment we’ve got the next couple of years planned out for us, we literally know what we’re doing this time next year! But if it felt right to take a break then we’d be quite open to that.

Heidi: But not this year!

Would you like to try something really different, like acting or going into fashion?

Heidi: We’ve got some fashion-related projects coming up but we’re not allowed to say what…

Amelle: It’s exciting – we’re going to have a lot of fun!

By Olivia Ebeling

Windows 7 is designed to make PCs faster, simpler and more fun to use - with unique functions and applications to simplify everyday tasks.

Win a limited edition Sugababes Sweet Box!The Sugababes' hot new album Sweet 7 is out now, and to celebrate, we've got three 'Sweet Boxes' to give away.

Containing the album, a photo fact booklet, a card certifying it at one of only 300 in existence - and of course, some sweets! - it's a very exclusive piece of memorabilia.

Sweet 7 contains the three massive top ten hits 'About A Girl', 'Get Sexy' and 'Wear My Kiss', as well as a collaboration with R&B star Sean Kingston on 'Miss Everything' and the gorgeous ballad 'No More You', written by Ne-Yo. It's the perfect getting-ready-to-go-out album that sees the girls at their sexiest and sassiest yet. Having achieved more Top 10 singles than the Spice Girls, All Saints or Destiny's Child, to name just a few, Sugababes are one of the most successful and talented British girl groups of all time - long live the Babes!

Click here to enter

Closing date of competition is 30/04/2010Prize is non-transferable.When you enter any OSOYOU competition, you will be automatically added to our newsletter mailing list. You can choose to un-subscribe by clicking on the link at the bottom of the newsletter email.This competition is subject to OSOYOU.com's competition terms and conditions - click here for details.

Monday, 29 March 2010

Earlier this month, Sugababe Amelle Berrabah jumped out of a plane to raise money for cancer research.

She took part in a tandem skydive with the Red Devils, free-falling for 30 seconds before parachuting to the ground.

The cause is one to which the 25-year-old is deeply committed because long before the singer was discovered, long before she became a chart-topper with girl group Sugababes, cancer changed her life.

The timing of our interview is entirely coincidental - I have been given a few minutes with her in a dressing room just before she and the other girls are due to go on stage on the Alan Titchmarsh Show.

She enters with a big smile, and then as the camera starts rolling, she tells me it is eight years to the very day since her father Mohamed died from liver cancer.

Little warning

There was little warning. He had gone into hospital for jaundice, but soon they were told he had six months to live.

I'd never talk about it for the first year, I even resented anyone asking me about him... I didn't think they understood.

Amelle Berrabah She pauses. "I didn't think I was going to start crying... sorry," she says, before composing herself and resuming.

"He was one of the healthiest men I've ever known in my life - always jogging, doing the marathon, really fit and healthy, didn't ever drink so, yes, it was really hard to deal with that and I couldn't really imagine life without him."

He died just a few weeks later, and although she had her chance to say goodbye, initially she felt bitter.

"It's just very hard to get over. It took me a good few years. I'd never talk about it for the first year, I even resented anyone asking me about him... I didn't think they understood."

Another strength

Looking back now, she believes the experience has strengthened her.

LIVER CANCER FACTS Liver cancer can arise in the liver (primary liver cancer) or it can spread to the liver from another site (secondary liver cancer)In the UK, secondary liver cancer is much more commonIn developing countries, most people with liver cancer die within months of diagnosisIn higher income countries, surgery and chemotherapy can prolong life in some patients

Source: World Health Organization "I think when you go through something like that, you build another type of strength anyway, so it's not that nothing hurts you anymore, but you do get through everything a lot easier."

Her father's advice to her and her siblings - that nothing in life they want will come without hard work - has also been a driving force ever since his death.

"I almost want to do it for him as well... It did really push me that way."

So what words or advice does Amelle have for those who might be going through a similar experience right now?

"I'm not going to lie. It's very hard for someone to say to you 'your daughter or your brother or mum or dad only have a certain amount of time to live'.

"You just have to be strong for yourself, your family and for the person as well, and just stay with them, stay close to them."

High profile names can help raise awareness of a disease or condition, and bring it under the spotlight. This video series talks to those in the public eye about their personal reasons for speaking out.

WHO’D have thought the Sugababes would ever be the hot topic of debate amongst Camden Crawl fanatics?

It seems their headline spot at the Roundhouse on the festival’s opening night has divided opinion amongst the most hardened “Crawlers”.

The pop trio’s inclusion may need some explanation.

They are currently involved in a legal dispute over the ownership of the band’s name, but will play the prestigious venue on Saturday, May 1, along with DJ Calvin Harris and a “secret special guest”.

The decision to include a commercial pop group on the bill has confounded Crawl regulars and local musicians alike, and split opinion.

Sam Bonham, a Kentish Town musician, said: “Camden Crawl should be about giving exposure to new artists, not pop groups who have already sold millions of records.”

MTV are responsible for booking acts at the Roundhouse during the Crawl and will be filming all the artists at the venue for broadcast.

The Sugababes’ latest album Sweet 7 has struggled in the UK Official Chart, only reaching number 14 – the lowest entry for a Sugababes’ album – prompting critics to claim that they are past their best.

Paul Barrett, a 24-year-old Camden nurse, said: “I don’t think it’s a good move for them. They’ve lost a lot of respect and they’re not the girl group they once were.

“They may have been manufactured before but they used to have good well-written songs. But now they’re just a bog-standard girl group and they don’t represent the Crawl.”

But others have leapt to their defence.

Lewis Mortimer, who works at Out On The Floor Records, in Inverness Street, Camden Town, said: “All the music there is pop music, they (Sugababes) just have a different aesthetic. It might cause offence to some hardcore rock fans but it doesn’t bother me.”

Daniel Parutto, a 35-year-old pub manager, also supports their inclusion: “Camden has changed a lot so why shouldn’t they play? I’m sure there are a lot of people who will like it.”

A Camden Crawl spokesman said: “They (MTV) felt quite strongly about including a balance of acts that reflect their playlist at the event and thus really wanted to feature Sugababes.

“The Crawl itself is intended to be a festival for everyone which celebrates new music from all genres alongside some big surprises and heritage acts. It will be interesting to see how people react to the decision of having them on at the event.

“As our audience would be unlikely to buy tickets to see them play under normal circumstances, it may be a new and different experience for those who choose to participate.”

The Crawl is renowned for featuring the best in new indie and alternative music.

Last year’s event included Little Boots and The Big Pink alongside more established acts such as Kasabian and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Fans attending this year’s festival can look forward to performances from the likes of Lost Prophets and We Are Scientists.

The Crawl takes place across 40 venues on May 1 and 2 with the “special secret guest” due to be announced on April 19.

Saturday, 27 March 2010

Rate: 14 votes The Sugababes have joined forces with hip London tapas bar and restaurant PINCHITOtapas to create a unique cocktail to celebrate the release of their new album ‘Sweet 7’ released on March 15th 2010. The award-winning PINCHITOtapas adheres to a mantra inspired by Spanish culture and cuisine. Following the success of the original EC1 site the restaurant has recently launched a second site on Bayley Street, WC1.

This March both sites pay homage to the album, ‘Sweet 7’ with a creation combining Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka, Chambord and lemon curd to create a sassy and sweet cocktail that perfectly encapsulates the Sugababes.

The ‘Sweet 7’ cocktail is available at both the WC1 and EC1 PINCHITOtapas Restaurants from March 8th to March 28th and is priced at £6.50.

Thursday, 25 March 2010

You can win a very limited edition Sugababes "Sweet 7 Boxset", just by leaving a comment on our EQ Facebook Fan page just by quoting your favorite Sugababes lyric either new or old! Show us that you are a true blue Sugababes fan!

We'll pick two EQ Fans at random on Friday and notify them via Facebook. The catch - you must be an EQ Fan on Facebook to qualify as we only give out prizes to the dedicated readers!

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Record sales in excess of 40 million, a trophy shelf groaning under the weight of six Grammys, international smashes with the likes of 'Breathe Again', 'He Wasn't Man Enough' and of course 'Un-Break My Heart', then... nothing. But now she's back! Last week Toni Braxton touched down in London for an exclusive playback of her new album - it's called Pulse and it's her first in almost five years - so we just had to grab the opportunity for a catch-up.

How does it feel to be back? Any nerves?"It feels great, no nerves! I've been looking forward to it for some time. I didn't think I'd be able to perform again after my heart scare, so I'm really excited."

How serious was your heart scare?"It was pretty scary. I was hospitalised for about 14 days. The first diagnosis was, 'You have... some long word I can't remember anymore'. I said, 'What's the cure?' and they said, 'Well, you need a heart transplant'. I was cuckoo for about a day or two, but then they came back and said, 'We misdiagnosed you - what you had was actually a heart attack'. I was like, 'I'll take that! Yeah!' I was actually very fortunate that it was just a little heart attack."

How long did your recovery take?"It takes a while because you have to go through cardiac rehab. If you break your knee, you have therapy on your knee, and it's the same for your heart. They teach you how to lead a healthier lifestyle and put tubes and wires all over you so they can see how your heart does under stress."

Did you have to change your lifestyle to any great extent?"Slightly at first, but now medication maintains it. I can live a totally normal life and do everything I want to do just as long as I take my medication. My body will give me signals if it gets weak or fatigued, so I know when I need to take a break. It's OK."

It's been five years since your last album - are you happy to call this a comeback?"I'm fine with 'comeback' - whatever it needs to be called! It all happened very fast for me first time around, so I never really got to enjoy it, whereas now I'm really taking my time and smelling it and living it all fully."

How long have you been working on the album?"It's like a bottomless cup of coffee! I signed my deal with Atlantic Records when I did Dancing With The Stars in September 2008 and I've been working on it since then. I must have recorded more than 30 tracks for it by now!"

Have you decided on the final tracklisting?"We're doing that as we speak - I think we have about seven songs confirmed, but we haven't got the ten yet. The album was supposed to come out in February, but we held it back because seven of the ten songs we picked were leaked. We decided to go back to the studio, record four or five more songs and then pick. Now we send everything via Federal Express - nothing's going through the internet - and that's why none of the new songs have leaked so far."

What's the balance between ballads and club cuts like?"It can be challenging getting that balance right, but I think we did a really good job on [my 1996 album] Secrets. Everyone forgets that 'You're Makin' Me High' was on the same album as 'Un-Break My Heart'. You have to make sure it sequences well, because you don't want to have a dance song and then all of a sudden a big, classic ballad."

The first UK single is a track called 'Yesterday'. What's the story behind it?"Well, I heard the song and it was written from a guy's perspective, so I said, 'Nice song - let me rework it'. I changed it up and made it a girl's song. I'm going through a separation, and it's not my story per se, but I definitely can relate to it in the sense of starting over. I wanted to have strength when I sang it - I didn't want to be a wimp!"

It feels like time for you to record a big female-female duet. Is there anything being lined up?"Me and Alicia Keys are talking about it - well, my people are talking to Alicia's people because I play piano and obviously she plays too. I've been playing since I was about nine years old so I really can play. Maybe we could do something at an award show and people will see us collaborate that way? We'll see."

How about our own diva, Leona Lewis?"I love her! I prefer her first album to the new one though. Actually, the possibility of she and I touring together was mentioned when I was in New York a couple of months ago for the VH1 Divas show. Her people were talking to my people and said maybe we should put on a tour together, so who knows? I'm just excited to have these options and possibilities open to me."

Finally, do you still enjoy singing 'Un-Break My Heart'?"I actually do - though I don't really have to sing it at concerts now because the fans sing it! I just sing 'Don't leave me in all this pain' and it's over! The audience jumps in and pretty much sings the whole song. They do wait for the last note though, so I try to really nail that one!"

From the Blog of Sugababes Official on Myspace blogs.myspace.com/sugababesofficial

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 MUSIC MATTERS Music Matters to The Sugababes

We are very pleased to announce the launch of the Music Matters campaign, which aims to bring together everybody involved in making music with the people who listen to it - reminding everybody of the real value of music.

The Sugababes are big supporters of Music Matters, and would love you to check out some fantastic little animated films from some truly inspirational artists, who have dedicated their lives to music. The films, including the stories of acts like Kate Bush, Nick Cave, Sigur Ross and The Jam, are all available at the Music Matters site, here.

Music Matters are also launching a 'trustmark', which will work so that when you see it, you'll know right away whether a download site is legitimate, and that when you buy a track, your money will make its way back to your favourite artists!

So why not head over to the Music Matters site here, check out the short films, learn about the Music Matters 'trustmark', and get some advice on the how to identify legal download sites.

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Monday, March 22, 2010
Why the Bombing of the Sugababes 4.0's Sweet 7 is Perhaps the Greatest News Ever
Listen, I love the Sugababes. They weren't as easy to get into as Girls Aloud, but I'm glad I finally "got" them. 'Push the Button' and 'Freak Like Me' are two of the past decade's greatest singles. 'Ace Reject,' the best song they have ever recorded, exemplifies everything I love about pop music. Hell, I even love Catfights & Spotlights, an album that most Suga fans are rather meh about. But, ever since listening to Sweet 7 a month or so ago, I have been secretly hoping for it to bomb big time and hasten the demise of this Frankenstein version of the 'Babes. Why, you ask? One reason and one reason only:

I love Jade Ewen. A lot.

Let's ignore for a second Sweet 7's general shitness, especially in comparison with the leaked Keisha versions that appeared online back in October or November. Instead, I want to talk about how being in Sugababes 4.0 is holding Jade back from a potentially amazing solo career. The Sugababes always worked because the women all had good voices but no voice overshadowed anyone else. Jade's voice, on the other hand, is much stronger than Heidi and Amelle's so, to compensate, she has to hold back. Besides, her voice isn't suited to the group's recent adoption of middling American-sounding pop; she does her best work letting her voice explode all over a song, not constraining it to a throaty, talky growl.

Right before Sweet 7 leaked online, a couple of Jade's unreleased tracks from prior to her jail sentence with joining the 'Babes found their way online. Originally, I didn't think anything would come of them, but, lo and behold, they are magnificent pop gems, way better than anything on Sweet 7. My favorites from this batch were 'My Man' and 'I Had Him First,' two surprisingly fierce uptempo tracks that recall Toni Braxton's 'He Wasn't Man Enough' and Whitney tracks like 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody.' Needless to say, I was really digging Jade's sound, but then came another unreleased track, 'Punching Out,' and my love for her grew exponentially. It became clear that the biggest crime regarding this latest incarnation of the Sugababes wasn't the fact that they were still using that name despite not having any original 'Babes left; rather, it was the fact that Jade was forced to slum it in this dying group instead of promoting her solo career.

Now that Sweet 7 has bombed this past week, I hope that everyone realizes that it's time to end the 'Babes with their dignity and good name intact instead of trying to resuscitate them in hopes of milking a Top 10 single from the brand name. The Sugababes were amazing in their day--very few girl groups can touch them--but the further they dilute their original sound so they can become as manufactured as so many American pop acts, the more people will start to turn on them. Leave the Sugababes alone and let Jade have the solo career she so rightfully deserves. She already has half an album ready of great songs. Don't believe me? Give 'I Had Him First' and 'Punching Out' a listen below:

Things appear to be going from bad to worse for the Sugababes. Following the dismal debut of their ‘Sweet 7′ LP, midweek figures today revealed that the album is set to crash out of #40 in its second week on the Official UK Album Chart. That doesn’t appear to be the worse of their woes though, as there is now increasing talk that the ladies were quietly dropped by production label Roc Nation last month.

Some may remember that the group signed the lucrative deal in early 2009 with the company shortly before the recording process of ‘Sweet 7′ commenced. Indeed, it was that very production deal which enabled the group, then-fronted by Keisha Buchanan, to work with US-based hitmakers such as Ne-Yo and RedOne for the proeject.

It now seems the drama and awful performance of the project on a whole left a sour taste in the mouth of Roc Nation, who are now reportedly referring to the group as ‘former clients’. The group are also no longer featured on the company’s site. Miaw!

JadeEwenFan(Ruff)March 23, 2010 at 12:18 pmThis is crazy news if true , The Sugababes need a chance to break the US. After all the money spent on promotion , its mad to drop them straight away. If the album hasn’t done well its due to mismanagement of the leaked album and constantly putting the release date back. Remember all the tracks were already written and recorded by Keisha , and had to be rerecorded by Jade. So the albums style and content hadn’t changed , just one artist. In the US this would be of no concern as they are not widely known there. I think the Album is Fantastic and think its the best ever !

EASTENDER Ricky Norwood looks like he's having a sweet time with Sugababe girlfriend Jade Ewen.This is the first picture of the loved-up couple, snapped enjoying a glass of bubbly at a pal's birthday bash.

The pair became an item late last year - just as Jade joined Sugababes and Richard, 26, landed the role of Fatboy in the soap.

Jade, 22, recently gushed: "The same day I found out I was the new Sugababe he found out he was in EastEnders.

"We grew up in East London and I've known him for years, so it felt natural when we got together."

June:July:Sat 03/07/2010 Sound music festival at Netherdale in Galashiels.August:Sat 21/08/2010 V Festival orSun 22/08/2010 V Festival (This year's V Festival will take place at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire over the weekend of August 21 to August 22. Tickets are on sale from this Friday 5th March.)

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Rochelle Wiseman wasn't about to let her new boyfriend upstage her in the birthday party stakes.
Within 24 hours of celebrating Marvin Humes' quarter of a century, The Saturdays singer staged her own lavish party last night at the exclusive May Fair hotel.
Guests arrived wearing masquerade masks, while Rochelle wore a stunning silver and gem-studded dress with long train.

It's my party, and I'll wear what I want to: Not to be outshone, The Saturdays singer Rochelle Wiseman arrives at the May Fair hotel in a flowing silver dress for her 21st birthday bash

She was joined by her girl bandmates Frankie Sandford, 21, Una Healy, 28, Mollie King, 22, and Vanessa White, 20, who all wore simple little black dresses in a effort not to outshine the birthday girl.
And it was all about Rochelle who served her guests cupcakes with her face on them.

The only glitches of the night were people accidentally standing on her flowing dress, and what appeared to be a parking ticket after leaving her white sports car in a restricted area of London's Mayfair.

Party with me: Rochelle shines in a silver and gem-studded dress while bandmate Vanessa White plays the part with her black-feathered mask for 21st celebrations at the luxury May Fair hotel

Drama queens: Una Healy and Molly King with their masquerade masks to complement their little black dresses which reveal toned and tanned legs

But the singer was clearly enjoying her night of nights as she enjoyed bubbly with friends while cuddling up to Marvin on a couch.
The silver/grey colour scheme seems to be a favourite for Rochelle. She wore a sheer grey asymmetric top over a white mini dress with grey heels for Marvin's Friday night birthday drinks.

More...Marvin Humes is joined by new girlfriend Rochelle Wiseman as he celebrates his 25th in style

Marvin, who celebrated his 25th birthday a night earlier at Alto in Soho, was also joined by fellow JLS singers Aston Merrygold and Ortise Williams.

Rochelle and Marvin made their relationship public just a few days ago.

JLS boys: Rochelle (left) gets close to new boyfriend Marvin Humes, while fellow Saturdays singer Una Healy (right) fails to see the funny side of Aston Merrygold

No way, yes way! Now looking more incredulous, Una joins in animated conversation with Rochelle and Aston
The JLS star confessed to taking Rochelle to see adult stage show Avenue Q on one of their first dates, and described his new love as 'such a lovely girl'.
'I’m very fond of her. We’ve been on a couple of dates, and we’re going to see how it goes. She is really very lovely. That’s all I can say right now.
'The last one [date], we went to see the show Avenue Q and then for a nice meal at The Ivy. We get on really well together, but it's early days.'

Who's Dougie? After splitting from her long-term boyfriend, Frankie Sandford was pictured holding hands with a mystery man at the May Fair hotel. She was looking gorgeous in a simple strapless black dress

Daring: Amelle Berrabah from the Sugababes leaves little to the imagination in this backless dress
The couple were pictured having lunch at their London hotel yesterday following the big night at Alto, where entertainment at the party was provided by a troupe of Burlesque dancers.
Marvin even had time for shopping before his girlfriend's 21st as he clutched bags from Chanel and Selfridges before being picked up by Rochelle.
Meanwhile, Frankie appeared to be over her split with long-term boyfriend Dougie Poynter from pop punk band McFly.
She held hands with a mystery man as the pair helped celebrate Rochelle's milestone.

Other guests at Rochelle's birthday included Sugababes star Amelle Berrabah who dressed to impress in a backless dress with only a few pieces of string to cover her back.

About Me

Followers

The Jade Ewen Story so far...

Jade Almarie Louise Ewen (born 24 January 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in the girl group Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released. In 2009, she represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Diane Warren penned "It's My Time" after winning the UK national selection. She achieved 5th place, cementing her as the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. She replaced Keisha Buchanan in the Sugababes in September 2009, while at the time still signed to Polydor Records.

Ewen was born and brought up in Plaistow, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Ewen was a carer to both her parents and two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel.She received a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. As a student at Sylvia, she appeared in The Bill, Casualty and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle.Ewen also won the part of Nala in The Lion King at the West End at the age of twelve. Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, entitled How To Dance. She also featured briefly in the video for pop rock band Busted's "What I Go to School For".

Between 2003 and 2004 she appeared in the Australian series Out There. In 2005, Ewen became a member of the girl group Trinity Stone which was signed to Sony BMG. The group disbanded in 2007. She later recorded with rapper Kwamé, who was impressed with her work on MySpace. She released a digital single, "Got You" in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label. Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv and also "Let Me Be Me" for Jessica Mauboy. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series, Myths.

In January 2009, Ewen was approached and participated in the UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. She was eventually selected to represent the UK with the song "It's My Time" composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber who accompanied her on piano onstage. Ewen was signed with Polydor Records in February and began working on her debut album. In May Ewen finished in fifth place, the highest placing for the United Kingdom since 2002.

In September 2009, it was announced that Ewen had joined the Sugababes as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan.While her second single, "My Man" had been released in the same week, promotional activities for the single were cancelled. Although the single still managed to reach #35 in the charts. In an interview with the BBC, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes as her main priority and that her solo album was put on hold. "About a Girl" later debuted at number eight in the UK. Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009, and charted at #14 on the UK albums chart. In late 2010 Jade was revealed as the new face of Miss Ultimo lingerie, modelling the lingerie fashion lines Autumn/Winter collection for 2010.

A Brief History of The Sugababes

Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Guinness Book of World Records have named the Sugababes as the most successful female act of the 21st century with six UK number one singles and eighteen UK top ten hits.

Sugababes were formed in 1998 by founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. In 2001, after just one album and some initial success, Donaghy departed and the introduction of Range in the same year was met with the commercial success. The group survived a second line-up change in December 2005, when Buena left the band and was subsequently replaced by Berrabah. In September 2009, it was confirmed that after eleven years in the band, Buchanan was no longer part of the group and had been replaced by Jade Ewen.